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Like the main character in her Sadie Witt mystery series, Beth Solheim was born with a healthy dose of imagination and a hankering to solve a puzzle. She learned her reverence for reading from her mother, who was never without a book in her hand.

By day, Beth works in Human Resources. By night she morphs into a writer who frequents lake resorts and mortuaries and hosts a ghost or two in her humorous paranormal mysteries.

Raised and still living in Northern Minnesota, she resides in lake country with her husband and a menagerie of wildlife critters. She and her husband are blessed with two grown children and two grandsons.

The Beginning of an Incredible Journey

KS: Can you tell us a little bit about what is was like to get the word that a publisher wanted to publish your book?

BS:Shock. Absolute shock and joy. Several months had lapsed after Karen Syed, publisher of Echelon Press, requested my manuscript, so I thought she must not be interested. Then, as I do every morning, I opened my email and there it was. Karen said her editorial board expressed interest and would I like to look at a contract. Would I? Are you serious? Of course! Acting like an adult was out of the question as I raced from room to room. I realize the real work has just begun, but I’m still riding that cloud of debut-author bliss.

KS: How long have you been writing and what was the first thing you remember writing?

BS:I’ve been writing for about ten years, six seriously. My first attempt at writing was a mystery. I knew nothing about plotting, characterization, or pacing, but I plodded through and thought it was great. A best seller. It wasn’t. It was horrible. I’m mortified by that first attempt, but also thrilled with what I’ve learned over the past six years.

KS: What is a typical day like for you with regard to a day job and now a pending career as an author?

BS:My full-time day job is in Human Resources in a hospital. My evenings are spent doing typical household chores, writing and editing, and occasionally drawing floor plans and processing paperwork for my husband’s construction business. Signing a contract with Echelon Press added another dimension—marketing. Over the past year I read books and surfed websites to learn what I could about marketing. I’ll format a plan to stay current with trends in marketing and writing.

KS: How do you think your life will change once your book is published and available for sale to readers?

BS:The pace will quicken, especially when both the eBook and print book are available to readers. Blog tours, book signings, speaking engagements and book fairs will be priority along with other marketing venues. I’ll keep my day job and most of all stay focused on writing and edits.

KS: What kinds of things do you do to keep your focus when trying to write when life gets in the way? Do you use candles or music or meditation?

BS: I park my butt and write. I have a nasty chat with a certain lazy writer if I don’t meet my goal. And, no chocolate! I also use Goals for Guppies, a Sister’s in Crime support group. I set a goal each week and have to report in on weekends. Shame on me if I don’t achieve that writing or marketing goal. If I’m exhausted when I come home from work, I enjoy a meal with my husband and then walk a mile or two with Il Divo, Celine Dion, or Josh Groban serenading me. Music is stimulating and makes me feel whole again. It triggers ideas.

KS: Who in your life has been the most influential in your journey toward being an author?

BS:A friend of my sister’s, Stephanie Sorenson, who is a publicist for Penguin Putnam, took the time to read my manuscript and made suggestions out of the goodness of her heart. No one in the profession had ever validated my writing or made constructive comments. That honest critique coupled with encouragement and counsel was the best thing that happened.

KS: Tell us a little bit about book one of your upcoming series.

BS:

At Witt’s End is a humorous, paranormal mystery. Witt’s End is a bustling resort in Northern Minnesota with clients vying for one of the few remaining rentals, except Cabin 14, where guests never leave alive.

Most sixty-four year old senior citizens aren’t expected to solve a murder while trying to prevent an unscrupulous sheriff’s deputy from shutting down their lakeside resort, but that’s exactly what Sadie Witt must do.

When five guests arrive at Cabin 14, they’re stunned to learn that the flamboyant Sadie is their conduit to the hereafter. Clad in the latest fashion trends, fads that are typically reserved for those without sagging body parts and sporting hairdos that make bystanders want to look away but can’t, Sadie realizes one of the guests had been murdered and must work against the clock to untangle the web and prevent further mayhem.

I’m moving today from the house where my family has lived for 11 years. Of course, there were just two of us when we bought it, three years into our marriage, full of plans and hopes. Some of those hopes came through differently–and better–than we’d planned, and we adopted two boys while living there, bringing them home at three days old each. And then we grew hopes we never would have expected.

While I did not grow up dreaming of becoming a librarian, I quickly realized the probation officer/lawyer career I thought I’d wanted as a teen wasn’t going to be a good fit. I found work as a youth librarian and never looked back. Then I found work at the Schaumburg Township District Library with teen services and now I wonder how I could ever thought I could do anything else.

That led to other things, namely writing, editing and teaching workshops. I’ve been able to work only part-time while the boys are young because I’ve added freelance projects. I then signed on to work with my exceptional agent Terry Burns, with Hartline Agency.

In October 2007 Karen Syed asked me to contribute a story to the The Heat of the Moment anthology which would benefit the Fire Safe Council of San Diego County. I’d had the pleasure of meeting Karen at a couple Love is Murder conferences where we’d been talking on panels about reaching teen readers. I was very impressed with Karen and Echelon Press, and was delighted that she thought I could do the story. Twelve drafts later, she was right.

In the meantime, several high profile missing persons cases erupted in Chicago. I wrote Karen asking if I could edit the next anthology and have it benefit missing persons cases. She agreed, and I enjoyed reading several authors and getting to know them.

No one who eats meals I cook would ever see me as a food writer, but as I pack this house I realize it was only a matter of time before I did something with this enormous–15 boxes–collection of vintage cookbooks I’ve amassed. I began blogging three years ago about this collection to teach myself about blogs. I used it to justify haunting antique malls and getting more cookbooks. Now I find myself writing about vintage recipes 3–5 times a week and during this holiday season I will be discussing my crazy collection and favorite treats at several area libraries. You can visit my Vintage Cookbooks Blog.

So we are moving to a larger house, in a different school district. We are nervous, and excited. What new directions will life take now? What has led you in new happy directions? Reading a fabulous book always takes our mind into new directions…

I’ve included this recipe and hope Karen will forgive me because it’s seriously unhealthy, but it reflects another happy surprise in my background. In 7th grade I aced the sewing in Home Ec, and that is a skill I still use a great deal. I barely passed the cooking, as I’d be distracted and mix up flour and sugar, skip baking powder (still do that) and more. There was one exception. This recipe turned out so well my Mother and I polished it off after school and she went out to get more ingredients.

Chocolate Pudding From Amy’s 7th Grade Home Ec Class

Mix together in a heavy aluminum pan:

3 T. Cocoa2 T. Cornstarch1/8 t. salt1/2 C. sugar

Add slowly:1 3/4 C. Milk

Mix a small amount of the milk to the dry ingredients, which have been stirred together well.

Add the remaining milk.

Place on a medium flame and stir CONSTANTLY until thickened.

After the mixture is thickened, allow it to boil SLOWLY over a LOW FLAME for two extra minutes.

Remove from flame and add:

1 T. butter1/2 t. vanilla

Place in individual dishes or a baked pie shell. Cover with a plastic wrap.

I can imagine that it was a little bittersweet at the very beginning, because if you're anything like me, you probably cried when you had to say goodbye to the old house. It must have held such special memories that you didn't want to let go of or share with strangers...,but oh how awesome to be able to move into that new home. Am I right? Well, you're going to be SO happy. I just know it.

I love the story about your becoming a librarian and also about your two boys.

"Unexpected Directions" is the perfect title for this article of yours. It also decribes the place from which many of our blessings seem to come, as well. The Bible says that the Lord works in mysterious ways, and it looks like He's already blessing your life from "Unexpected Directions".

On Sunday, July 26, 2009, find out what Lemon Lace, a Judas quilt, strolling on the veranda, a diamond shoe clip, and an unregistered bed and breakfast guest have in common. Luisa Buehler, author of the acclaimed Grace Marsden murder mystery series, hosts “Tea on the Verandah” at Under the Ginkgo Tree bed-and-breakfast, 300 N. Kenilworth Ave. in Oak Park. Afternoon tea begins at 1:00pm and will be served until 3:00pm. Guests are invited to bring their favorite teacup.

Local author will host afternoon tea, sign copies of her six published murder mystery novels, discuss the two final novels in the series, and talk about Illinois' Civil War underground railroad.

Under the Ginkgo Tree provides an appropriate setting for a talk and review of Buehler's sixth and latest Grace Marsden mystery.

The Innkeeper:An Unregistered Death begins with a runaway slave and a society girl laying entombed in the cellar of an old boardinghouse. Renovations turn gruesome when skeletal remains are uncovered. Forensic report adds a twist—the remains were entombed 80 years apart! Grace becomes involved when her friend, the owner of the house falls under suspicion. Grace tries to stay apart from the investigation and succeeds until she sees the spirit of the freedom seeker haunting the house and he turns to her for justice. Can she deny him in death what he sought so tragically in life?

The Innkeeper: An Unregistered Death is slated for release late this August by Echelon Press ($13.99 ISBN 978-1-59080-627-2).

Grace Marsden's seventh and final cold case will be The Re-Enactor: A Staged Death, scheduled for publication in early 2011. The author who first brought to life the thirty-something, OCD-plagued, often idiosyncratic sleuth in 2002 says Grace is weary of experiencing pain and tragedy through the restless souls who seem to find her. She intends to avoid sleuthing and concentrate on her life with her family.

Oftentimes, especially in the case of a novel or story series, their authors come to regard their characters as friends, accomplices, partners, even family. Does Buehler feel that she's saying goodbye to someone she "knows" so well and in whose life she's been so intimately involved for more than a decade?

“Not so much goodbye,” says the author, “more that our life paths are moving in different directions from where we are now in our relationship. We won't have as much contact but we'll always have Pine Marsh! {home to Harry and Grace Marsden}.... I hope readers will be satisfied and pleased and find the conclusion of the series totally believable in The Re-Enactor.”

Grace is a conglomeration of several women Buehler has known with “a smattering of my OCD tendencies – mine are mild compared to Grace!” She adds that fictional characters such as Nancy Drew (her original inspiration for becoming a mystery writer) and Nora Charles also influenced her.

The tie-in to Under the Ginkgo Tree begins back in book four, The Scoutmaster: A Prepared Death and re-introduced in The Innkeeper. The renowned Oak Park B&B is mentioned by name and is the setting for a scene early in the book.

Part history, largely mystery, Buehler says she will focus her remarks at “Tea on the Verandah” on her research about stations on the underground railroad in Illinois and the symbols used on quilts to guide the freedom seekers to safety or to warn them of danger. Buehler uses an interesting twist concerning a quilt found in the boarding house.

All who attend “Tea on the Verandah” will be entered in a drawing, to be held at 3:00pm, for prizes including a certificate for a one night stay at Under the Ginkgo Tree B&B, a vintage tea cup and tea basket, and a vintage jewelry piece.

Luisa Buehler lives in west suburban Lisle with her husband, their son, and family cat, Martin Marmalade. Between managing a business and family and documenting Grace Marsden’s sleuthing, she also finds time to tend her garden.

Under the Ginkgo Tree is located at 300 N. Kenilworth Ave. in Oak Park, near the corner of Erie. Call (708) 524-2327 for more information about “Tea on the Verandah.”

Any or all of the Grace Marsden Murder Mystery novels can also be purchased at the publisher's website, www.echelonpress.com or at your local booksellers or online retailers. Local residents of Chicago can purchase them at Centuries & Sleuths in Forest Park or your local Barnes & Noble stores.

0 Comments on Tea on the Veranda Under the Ginkgo Tree as of 7/18/2009 1:21:00 PM

Tales of Courage and Inspiration inThe Heat of the MomentInspired by the heroes of the 2007 San Diego Wildfires

In a world filled with disasters and catastrophes, there always remains hope. In The Heat of the Moment, twenty-one authors came together with a showcase of short fiction.

Committed to aiding those who lost so much in the blink of an eye, we proudly offer this tribute to the true heroes of the San Diego wildfires, the survivors. We invite you to wear your own red ribbon in honor of their extraordinary "Courage and Inspiration."

Proceeds from the sale of this book will offer aid to those heroes through the support of the "Fire Safe Council of San Diego County."

Sam MortonMoving OnA moving tribute to the Charleston Nine.

Amy AlessioTreasuresA young mother discovers an unlikely secret after a fire.

Regan BlackFrom the AshesJaden Michaels' relives her past in the great Chicago Fire history.

Carl BrookinsFirestormFlames of deception blow through the prairies of Minnesota.

Austin CamachoSmoke and MirrorsHannibal Jones uncovers treachery from within the ashes.

Anne CarterAngel of the MorningLove reaches from beyond the grave to save a young widow and her son.

Norm CowieThe 'Really Hot' Adventures of Guy:Guy's life is one big party until destruction sparks too close to home.

Janelle DakotaDevil's BreathA struggling blended family finds a connection in the grasp of raging chaos.

JMG DeMarcoScarsScarred by fire, Elena seeks vengeance as a way to heal.

Robert GoldsboroughA Blaze in the NightSnap Malek isn't looking to be a hero, but no one is going to die on his beat.

Kevin HelmoldA World Left BehindReality leaves its mark on a young boy's life when he looks into the flames.

As a former pre-school teacher, I found this story to be absolutely delightful. Freckleface Strawberry likes it when her parents go to work early beacause she get to go to Early Bird—most of the time. She's really good at a lot of the things they get to do, but sometimes it rains and then they have to go inside and play…dodgeball.

The only one who really likes dodgeball is Windy Pants Patrick, the school bully. Everyone else is …afraid. But then one day, Freckleface Strawberry came up with a plan.

Fears abound in this very clever book that has an unexpected twist that will have children cheering.

It was Ms. Moore’s infusion of hilarity and heart that won her praise from booksellers, educators, reviewers—and most importantly young readers!—for her debut picture book Freckleface Strawberry, a charming tale inspired by a childhood experience.

Nicknamed Freckleface Strawberry when she a young girl, Ms. Moore disliked the title as much as she disliked her red hair and freckles. “As a child, my hatred of my freckles was only matched by my love of reading,” said the author, who eventually grew to tolerate her red hair and freckles and find amusement in telling her own kids about her childhood nickname. Dodgeball isn’t based on personal experience, but creating a feisty character who makes the best of a bad situation—and does so with style and wit—is essential to Ms. Moore.

One of the things I respect most about Julianne Moore is her commitment to the development and welfare of children. As the U. S. Ambassador for Save the Children she works with children and families in rural areas, focusing on literacy and early childhood education. Julianne successfully launched the Save the Children Valentine program in 2008 whereby children’s book illustrators donated art work for cards, with the proceeds benefiting poverty in the United States. She is also a member of Reach Out and Read, a children’s literacy organization dedicated to educating parents on the importance of reading to their children.

Hello friends I am a foreigner visiting pages in another language, try to understand their language but it cost too much and that is why we invite you to my blog which is certainly very interesting and also a translation for your language I do this through a software sure your web is also very good, thank you very much now.

Goodness and it's only 3:30 pm. I have been asked a lot lately what I do all day. Well, other than my Bon-Bon binges, I actually manage to squeeze in a little work. I thought I might give a little glimpse into what I've done so far today. I figure it is early, but I started early. So, here goes.

5:00 a.m. woke up with swollen eye (might have been the Udder Butter I put on my feet before bed seeping in when I rubbed my eyes)

5:05 husband put eye drops in-stung like a mother!

5:10 stopped whining and got up to rinse with very expensive eye was. More stinging...dang!

5:15 stumbled to desk and booted up.

5:20 read 74 e-mails, responded to 12, cleaned out 365 old messages from inbox, including 94 unrequested, unsolicited, and not meeting our standard guidelines for submission.

5:40 stumbled to kitchen to make decaf coffee. Dang heart, why bother with no kick, but I keep thinking my body might be tricked into believing it is real coffee.

6:00 ate bowl of blueberries while formatting contracts for a YA and a Mystery I am offering for.

6:15 sent contracts via e-mail.

6:30 stopped staring into space.

6:31 typed in 26 addresses for Teresa Burrell from Printers Row so she can send pre-ordered books to customers (see article at Pop Syndicate)

7:00 ate slice of homemade white bread that I made yesterday (yes I am a domestic goddess as well).Gotta love bread machines-recipes gladly accepted for breads!

7:15 husband got up and we kissed. I am also a great wife.

7:20 Addressed and stamped several envelopes containing contracts for new authors (including Martin Bartloff, Nick Valentine, Zander Vyne, and a new story from Candy Caine) and mailed a few advance/royalty checks.

7:45 answered six more e-mails, worked on order for Nikki Leigh's new potential best seller Book Promo 201. I think all authors should have this book. 13 of my authors have placed orders.

8:00 rearranged books under shipping table-termites...gack!!!! Just what I need. You should see what they do to books, but they don't eat laminate, just paper. How odd...

8:30 talked with husband about disbursement of bills and credit payments. I hate that part, but we can actually talk about it now instead of fighting. PROGRESS!

8:45 Made deposit from funds collected at Printers Row last weekend for book sales. Biggest single deposit for company to date. It was THRILLING.

9:00 showered and got dressed. Wearing skirt I made all by myself. Yup, domestic goddess.

9:30 realized I should have left 15 minutes ago to meet Katie Hartlove at Panera in Bowie for Erotique (check out my weekend Blog Sole Seduction at The Allure of Passion) business session. Took medicine, all 156 pills (okay not that many, but it feels like it some days) and stuffed laptop into bag.

10:45 Discussed possible upgrade to Erotique web site and how to increase actual sales of Erotique stories. Readers are looking but not buying. What makes you buy a short story? What makes you NOT buy one?

11:00 Worked on trying to intensify the blurbs for Erotique shorts to inspire readers to buy. Check out new blurb for Bedroom Tiger by Angela Lee.

11:15 posted several snippet ads for Bedroom Tiger on Twitter and Facebook.

11:45 Set up schedule for new Erotique stories for future publication. Our schedule is not full, but we have high hopes that we can entice erotica authors onto our team and help us build Erotique into a huge success.

12:15 p.m. Decided to focus some promotional energy on building the visibility of Erotique Press. New authors with fresh stories would be a great thing for us right now. Katie works really hard.

12:45 Katie had to go, so I stayed to work a little longer. Answered 9 more e-mails. Got two responses from offers to publish. Exciting stuff.

1:00 developed a generic plan for authors to market their eBooks with an eye to toward actually selling them.

1:15 Made contact with bookstore to get copies of Murder Off the Books and Murder Takes the Cake by Evelyn David to Village Books in Pleasantville, NY for a signing on the upcoming Saturday.

1:30 Packed up and headed back to office.

1:45 Stopped at Post office to mail books.

2:15 stopped at office to confirm extermination of termites...ack!!!!

2:45 Back at desk. Spoke with Evelyn David about upcoming booksigning events in NY.

3:00 Answered 11 more e-mails.

3:15 Discovered my new review for the DVD Notorious is up at Pop Syndicate! Yea!! My first review for them, many more to follow.

Had to take a nap after reading about your day. I feel better, do you?

Medication. Yep, I took a bunch after reading about Tee's big sales at P. Row. Can't I just hire her? I mean, she's libel to run out of books soon, so then she can start selling mine? After all, the cover is the same color and all.

I encourage you to make Sam own up to this. The articles going around are silly since there are so many of us on Twitter who use it on a minute by minute (heehee) basis.

Below is Sam's original post. And if you really want to make him eat his words, you can prove my point about Blogging as well. He isn't convinced that Blogs sell books. So if you click on this Link and purchase BETRAYED, Sam's new YA thriller (We have 100 advanced copies right now) from Echelon Press directly, I will send you a FREE copy of DISAVOWED.

* * * Elvis Is Dead. So is Twitter. And Karen Has Me in Her Sights!

This week I raised the ire of my publisher, Karen Syed, by posting to our group site a link to an article from Technorati.com that indicated 95 percent of all bloggers and Twitter account holders abandon their accounts after a short while. Karen is a big Twitter fan.

I respectfully disagree.

Used correctly, I believe Twitter could—I stress could—be a great communications tool. But when I log on, I get “fewer than 140 characters” about people sitting in traffic, stopping for doughnuts, or even going to the john. And I care about this crap (pun intended) why?

I mean Ashton Kutcher—never mind that he’s married to someone on which I used to have a crush—hypes Twitter for God’s sake. That right there should tell you this technology is evil.

But I’m willing to be proven wrong (even through the blogosphere I can hear the snarky comments about how I should be used to it). So here’s my challenge. Send it to all your Twittering friends: Get me 500 Tweets on my account between June 15, 2009 and July 15, 2009 and I will donate $200 to the American Heart Association in Karen Syed’s name.

Hold on, as pitchman Billy Mays would say, “But wait, there’s more!”…get me 1,000 Tweets in the same time frame and I will deliver the check to my local AHA representative wearing a thong, a wig, lipstick, and what my wife calls “hooker shoes.” I will have it photographed and posted on FaceBook. If it’s worth doing, it’s worth going all the way, baby.

Fewer than 500 and I challenge Karen to post Tweets to all her friends declaring, “Citadel graduate Sam Morton is a technological genius!”

A graduate of The Citadel, Sam holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in English. He is author of Disavowed, a police thriller with five-star ratings on both Amazon.com and BarnesandNoble.com. Sam has also written Betrayed—An Austin Pierce Novel, the first book in the Austin Files, a young adult spy series slated to debut in August 2009. He is co-author of four fiction anthologies and sole author of Ramblings, a collection of his own short stories and poems. Sam is a member of The Inkplots Writers Group, and is an active freelance writer for several regional and national magazines. He has received a number of awards for his writing. His past occupations include a 12 year-stint as a robbery/homicide detective for the Richland County Sheriff’s Department in Columbia, S.C., a ten-year career as a professional wrestler, and one long week as the blade changer on the potato cutting machine at the Frito Lay plant in Charlotte, N.C. He resides in Columbia, SC with his wife, Myra, and two children, Alexey and Nikki. Find out more about Sam by logging onto www.sammorton.com.

3 Comments on What on earth is Sam Morton thinking?, last added: 6/12/2009

A few weeks back, I posted a note on Twitter asking if anyone would like to be featured on my Blog. There was a mad rush of Direct Messages begging me to pick them—okay, there were only two, and this is the second. As a publisher, I am always curious as to why authors and people of public professions don't take opportunities for FREE promotion or exposure.

A Podcast is a group or series of digital media files, or audio files that people or organizations put up on the web or distribute to people for a variety of reasons. This is a new experiment for Kimi as she is serializing her novel for readers to enjoy on the Internet.

Now, I personally think this is a very cool idea. But what about Kimi. Who is Kimi Alexandre and why should you care what she writes?

Kimi, from what I can gather without actually interviewing her, is a bit of an overachiever. She teeters on the cutting edge of advancement and is definitely NOT afraid to try new things. IF ever anyone thrived on putting themselves out there, I would say it is Kimi. Just look at her work. Enthralled with Urban Fantasy, Kimi has taken it to a new level by putting herself on the line with her Podcast Guardians. She is producing this novel as she writes it. How cool is that.

I have always thought that anyone who is willing to challenge themselves and step outside the box on convention is well worth giving a look to. So check her out. You can get more info on Kimi and her work at http://www.talechasing.com

Guardians:Reagan Fischer is a body guard to celebrities. No on expects the hot date or party girl best friend as hired protection. Reagan finds herself thrust into the mystery of a strange murder with trappings of the supernatural, if she believed in that sort of thing. Immediately asked to come in to help guard a religious archeologist and an object he’s uncovered by an old friend, the only way she’ll get involved is if you pay her enough. It’s going to take a lot to convince Reagan that the world she knows isn’t how it really is. But there are plenty of ghosts, angels and magic going around to turn her into a believer. Especially when it’s believe or die.

I would love for you to take some time and check out what Kimi has done. I promise you won't be disappointed. And for those of you who still want to know more about Podcasting, now is your chance to ask Kimi questions and see if she can clear some of the mist for you.

Kimi- I am also interested in podcasting. (Heck, I'm interested in all promotional things) In general do you know how many people are listening and what has been the response so far? Does it really translate into significant book sales? I ask because there are so many pod casts and it seems at least that few people really tune in or subscribe. What is your take on that?

Can't imagine why more authors didn't pick up on your offer, Karen, unless, like me, they're bogged down with other projects and can't squeeze out the time for even one more interview or blog. Or perhaps they just didn't catch the message as it sailed by. I'll go back and retweet....

Hey Nick! Podcasting your novel is becoming a terrific way to get noticed by publishers. Many of the people who are doing so are amassing fans and then being able to prove with the numbers that agents/editors can take a chance on them.

Even people who don't get book deals find themselves able to do Print on Demand and make some cash.

Personally I think with enough perseverance even if you don't get a book deal from the first one if you keep producing someone will pick you up.

Right now I have 200 people who have been waiting for the book to start. For an unknown author and for not having any content to go on those are staggering numbers of people willing to give someone new a chance. Then numbers will only rise from here. :)

The only thing to keep in mind is that you have to be willing to find promotion for yourself to get people to come and listen. ;)

I hope you enjoy the book and I'd love to answer more questions or hear comments.

I didn't see your tweet either - I ask this same question because I offer free promo ops on a regular basis. I figure you can't make people cooperate :) But I would've contacted you if I'd seen your tweet. Speaking of promo ops - did you get my email about GirlForce VBT? Would love to have you host that on PopSyndicate :)

Well, I'm not a mom, but I got a kinda neat gift for mother's day. My mom has been here for a week now and will be here until the end of the month. She's kinda getting up there in age and has some health issues that limit her ability, but she has a huge need to feel useful, so I put her to work. Hey, she asked!

So, everyone has been telling me that I need a PA to help keep me organized and to do some of my busywork. Well, honestly the pay at Echelon sucks, so it has been hard to find just the right person who will be at my beck and call for free, or peanuts (with or without shells). I have a great staff in place and they are angels, I mean that. Kat who heads my editorial staff, Katie who runs Erotique for me, and Rochelle who does Quake are like parts of me. I'd rather cut off an arm than lose any of them, but they work from their own offices, so their ability to keep me on track is limited.

Anyways, I have my mom here and she wanted to feel useful, so I thought, okay let her pack some orders and keep her out of my hair. Boy, did I underestimate her ability. This madwoman who cannot possibly be my mother, came in, pulled books from inventory, packs them in boxes, stuffed, labeled, and stacked about 30 orders. Then while I was puttering, she started organizing my packing supplies and cleaning up and all kinds of stuff I have been ignoring.

She then sits down and stares at me. Now, this is a repetitive thing. Every time she finishes a task, she sits down and looks at me. So now I have to FIND other things for her to do. I realize I have ARCs to send out for the fall books, so I start printing sell sheets, she gets them all boxed up and labeled and stacked and...sits down and looks at me. I find that I cannot keep up with this woman!

I read your post which basically said that going to bookstores to promote books are a waste of time. Just so you'll know, when my first book was published, I left the promotion to the PR people at my publisher. I also did some of my own. No stores,media outlets, online sites, or even the MWA website ever got word of it! They only people who knew what I'd written were the ones I contacted personally.

Karen,I just got to this post. I love the fact that when your Mom felt useful she did so much. My daughter (a website designer for a marketing company) wants, eventually, to go out on her own and wants to have an "opening" for me in her company, Maxine Media.

BTW: I have a similar picture on my "capping" day. I've been an RN since 1968.

I've met Jeff, Tee, and of course, Karen, before, but it was fun to meet Jenny, Pam, Alyssa, and the Fairy Lady "in de flesh" as they say. My feet were sore by the time I got home (Karen, I found my car but got lost getting to the freeway - LMAO), but I was still on Cloud 9. I'm probably down to Cloud 8 1/2 today. Housework tends to deflate one a little.

I sold 17 books, and each sale felt like my first time. It was the Most Fun Evah!

Promotion is so important. It's always been, but seems even more vital today. Each day it feels like it becomes more time consuming and more complicated, too. So much to learn and do!Helenhttp://straightfromhel.blogspot.com

This week has felt like HYPERactive promo...and I know there's so much more I need to do...Hard part is not beating myself up for what I don't get accomplished. Who wants to buy books from someone holding a steak over a black eye?!? No, wait. A great gimic...Excuse me ...

No argument there, when Karen is right, she is right. I'm promoting my tail end off while I don't have a print yet, while some seem to toy around. But it's all good, their attentions might not be what mine are. I want the world to meet my character, Andy Riley and get to know my YA novel.

Lucy Maud Montgomery is most well-known for her Anne of Green Gables series, but one of my new favorites is Emily of New Moon.

Emily Starr is a whimsical and creative girl who finds herself thrust into the care of two aunts when her father dies suddenly.

I first became familiar with this character when our local library got the series in on DVD. The glorious Prince Edward Isles is the perfect setting for the rambunctious escapades of Emily.

Determined to be a writer, Emily fights against the constraints of a restrictive society and the constant ridicule of those who don't understand her. But with a small group of unlikely friends, Emily finds a life

The acting in the series presented by Salter Street Films and CBS Television includes a stellar performance by Susan Clark, a variety of children from the island, and a host of exceptional guests, including Michael Moriarty and Maury Chaykin.

Fans of Lucy Maud Montgomery's Emily of New Moon television series can find more information at the IMDB web site.

I loved Anne of Green Gables, but Emily is a character much dearer to my heart as she is free-spirited, strong-willed, and committed to exploring her inner desires. The vastness of her imagination is matched only by that of the tremendously talented L.M. Montgomery.

These stories are captivating for readers and viewers of all ages. Montgomery's stories make for great family entertainment. You should give them a try!

Lucy Maud Montgomery is most well-known for her Anne of Green Gables series, but one of my new favorites is Emily of New Moon.

Emily Starr is a whimsical and creative girl who finds herself thrust into the care of two aunts when her father dies suddenly.

I first became familiar with this character when our local library got the series in on DVD. The glorious Prince Edward Isles is the perfect setting for the rambunctious escapades of Emily.

Determined to be a writer, Emily fights against the constraints of a restrictive society and the constant ridicule of those who don't understand her. But with a small group of unlikely friends, Emily finds a life

The acting in the series presented by Salter Street Films and CBS Television includes a stellar performance by Susan Clark, a variety of children from the island, and a host of exceptional guests, including Michael Moriarty and Maury Chaykin.

Fans of Lucy Maud Montgomery's Emily of New Moon television series can find more information at the IMDB web site.

I loved Anne of Green Gables, but Emily is a character much dearer to my heart as she is free-spirited, strong-willed, and committed to exploring her inner desires. The vastness of her imagination is matched only by that of the tremendously talented L.M. Montgomery.

These stories are captivating for readers and viewers of all ages. Montgomery's stories make for great family entertainment. You should give them a try!

That’s the message on the new buttons I’m having made. Just two little words. That’s really all I need. See, I’ll be handing them out at Malice to promote my new book Paper, Scissors, Death. True, the buttons aren’t very big—2 ½ inches round—so there’s not a lot of room for long phrases. On the other hand, there’s not a lot more that I need to say.

My readers have spoken. They talk to me, write me, email me, and send me letters. They tell me, “I love Kiki!” And I’m very glad to hear that, because honestly, I worked very, very hard to craft a protagonist my readers would adore.

Why do folks react so positively to Kiki Lowenstein? I believe it’s because there’s a lot of Kiki in all of us. She’s the sum and total of so many women I know. Are you like Kiki? Take this test to find out:

Would you rather laugh at yourself than at someone else?

Would you rather pitch in to help than watch people work?

Does the commercial about dogs and cats needing homes make you cry?

Do you know a handful of ways to stretch a pound of hamburger into more than one meal?

Would you rather buy one perfect home-grown tomato from a roadside stand than a plastic package of tomatoes from a chain grocery store?

Would you sit up all night finishing a handmade gift rather than dash to a store and buy something at the last minute?

Do you cherish the small things in life like beautiful sunsets, the first daffodil of spring, and the feel of a child’s trusting hand in yours?

If you answered “yes” to any of the above, you’re a Kiki-type of girl. I suspect there are a lot of us!

A Kiki-girl doesn’t take herself too seriously. In fact, Kiki Lowenstein calls herself “the original Mrs. Nice Guy.” She apologizes to carts she bumps in the grocery store. She wears a tablecloth to the front door when all her wet clothes are in the dryer.

A Kiki-girl is overweight, under-appreciated, and soft-hearted… to a fault. Kiki Lowenstein drives by a pet store and on impulse adopts a homeless Great Dane. “The dog and I had something in common. Nobody wanted us because we were both too big.”

A Kiki-girl is “a good girl.” She follows the rules she learned in kindergarten. In the opening scene of Paper, Scissors, Death, Kiki Lowenstein picks up paper scraps and trash after a pre-teen party at a scrapbook store. The other mothers stand around and yak, but Kiki feels the “polite thing to do” is clean up the mess she, her daughter, and the others helped make.

It’s a mistake to underestimate a Kiki-girl. When things get tough, a Kiki-girl pulls up her big girl panties and does what has to be done. Kiki Lowenstein pays back the half million dollars her dead husband has “borrowed.” She gets a job. She overhauls a “fixer-up property,” which she reflects is real estate code for “a dump with possibilities.” And eventually she faces down a murderer. She’s no push-over.

By the same token, these buttons are small but mighty. They carry the exact message I want to convey: “Get Kiki!”

I’m proud to be a Kiki-girl. You should be, too. I promise you that Kiki will always stay just as fun, lovable and endearing as she is right now. (I hope you never change either.)

Joanna Campbell Slan is the author of the Agatha Award Finalist for Best First Novel—Paper, Scissors, Death. The second book in the Kiki Lowenstein mystery series—Cut, Crop & Die—is now available for pre-orders through Amazon. You can follow Joanna and get her marvelous journaling prompts (to encourage you to save your personal stories) at www.twitter.com/joannaslan Her website is www.joannaslan.com

I metJoanna at Magna cum Murder mystery conf. at Muncie, In, in October. I love her book and am keeping my fingers crossed that she wins the Agatha at Malice Domestic. She has graciously accepted the offer to speak to my bookclub on July 2 - we can hardly wait!!

Whew, you step away from your computer for an appointment, and then come back to this great reception! Thank you, thank you, thank you.

Mary, yeh, Kiki rocks. She puts on those big girl panties and off she goes.

Marlis, I'm looking forward to coming back home to Indiana.

Nick, I'd want Kiki on my side, too. She's a never-fail friend who'd do anything for those she loves.

Diana, go to my website www.joannaslan.com and sign up for my free ezine. I'll keep people posted about the inaugural launch of the Kiki Lowenstein fan club. Earlier today I heard from a big scrapbooking manufacturer---do I smell sponsorships in the wind, you betcha!

I am a Kiki kind of girl and darn proud of it!!! And am the proud owner of a signed copy of the said brilliant book which was part of my best of british scrapbooking prize recently. If you've not read it what are you waiting for!Good luck with the sponsorshp too Joanna, go girl!loveMichelle x

Gayle, of course we all might secretly snicker, but we'd never feel comfortable about it, would we?

As for you, Ms. Jackson-Mogford, it's just a shame I can't post some of your scrapbook layouts right here on Karen's blog so these people can fall over on the floor in awe of your huge talent. (Folks, this girl is somethin' else. Zowie. She makes stuff that is major fun to look at.) And as for your page on the back of ScrapBook inspirations Magazine this month--I'm drooling over that black and white paper. Can I beg you to scan it and share? Hmmm?

Norm, it's okay. Go bite someone, FangFace. You'll feel better, and maybe in your next life you can be a Kiki-girl, too.

That’s the message on the new buttons I’m having made. Just two little words. That’s really all I need. See, I’ll be handing them out at Malice to promote my new book Paper, Scissors, Death. True, the buttons aren’t very big—2 ½ inches round—so there’s not a lot of room for long phrases. On the other hand, there’s not a lot more that I need to say.

My readers have spoken. They talk to me, write me, email me, and send me letters. They tell me, “I love Kiki!” And I’m very glad to hear that, because honestly, I worked very, very hard to craft a protagonist my readers would adore.

Why do folks react so positively to Kiki Lowenstein? I believe it’s because there’s a lot of Kiki in all of us. She’s the sum and total of so many women I know. Are you like Kiki? Take this test to find out:

Would you rather laugh at yourself than at someone else?

Would you rather pitch in to help than watch people work?

Does the commercial about dogs and cats needing homes make you cry?

Do you know a handful of ways to stretch a pound of hamburger into more than one meal?

Would you rather buy one perfect home-grown tomato from a roadside stand than a plastic package of tomatoes from a chain grocery store?

Would you sit up all night finishing a handmade gift rather than dash to a store and buy something at the last minute?

Do you cherish the small things in life like beautiful sunsets, the first daffodil of spring, and the feel of a child’s trusting hand in yours?

If you answered “yes” to any of the above, you’re a Kiki-type of girl. I suspect there are a lot of us!

A Kiki-girl doesn’t take herself too seriously. In fact, Kiki Lowenstein calls herself “the original Mrs. Nice Guy.” She apologizes to carts she bumps in the grocery store. She wears a tablecloth to the front door when all her wet clothes are in the dryer.

A Kiki-girl is overweight, under-appreciated, and soft-hearted… to a fault. Kiki Lowenstein drives by a pet store and on impulse adopts a homeless Great Dane. “The dog and I had something in common. Nobody wanted us because we were both too big.”

A Kiki-girl is “a good girl.” She follows the rules she learned in kindergarten. In the opening scene of Paper, Scissors, Death, Kiki Lowenstein picks up paper scraps and trash after a pre-teen party at a scrapbook store. The other mothers stand around and yak, but Kiki feels the “polite thing to do” is clean up the mess she, her daughter, and the others helped make.

It’s a mistake to underestimate a Kiki-girl. When things get tough, a Kiki-girl pulls up her big girl panties and does what has to be done. Kiki Lowenstein pays back the half million dollars her dead husband has “borrowed.” She gets a job. She overhauls a “fixer-up property,” which she reflects is real estate code for “a dump with possibilities.” And eventually she faces down a murderer. She’s no push-over.

By the same token, these buttons are small but mighty. They carry the exact message I want to convey: “Get Kiki!”

I’m proud to be a Kiki-girl. You should be, too. I promise you that Kiki will always stay just as fun, lovable and endearing as she is right now. (I hope you never change either.)

Joanna Campbell Slan is the author of the Agatha Award Finalist for Best First Novel—Paper, Scissors, Death. The second book in the Kiki Lowenstein mystery series—Cut, Crop & Die—is now available for pre-orders through Amazon. You can follow Joanna and get her marvelous journaling prompts (to encourage you to save your personal stories) at www.twitter.com/joannaslan Her website is www.joannaslan.com

I wasn't sure what to Blog about today, so I went on to twitter and took requests. BetFishReads popped right up and asked if I had ever talked about the worth of Blogs for promoting books. I don't think I have so I am going to give it a whirl.

I am for it.

Thanks and have a great weekend.

Okay, just kidding. You should all know by now that you don't get off that easy where I am concerned. I do have an opinion on this. There are several factors that play into this for me.

First, I have to look at from a professional standpoint. I am a publisher and my purpose in life is to promote the books I publish.

Second, I have to look at it from the viewpoint of the reader. If I piss them off, I won't sell books. So this must be handled in a very delicate manner.

Putting my publisher hat on, I have to think that there is truth in the idea that readers do, in some instances, select their books from word of mouth and or a promotion they have seen, whether online or in a magazine, or wherever. I want to put our books in front of readers, but I also want to be conscious of their desire to be entertained and enlightened.

Authors have a vast array of characteristics and talents that can be shared with their readers along with a short promo for books. No one wants to be preached to and if you have a Blog that is all book promo all the time, you will drive readers away.

Now, putting on my pretty little purple reader hat that my mom knitted for me, I want to get to know authors before I buy their books. I enjoy going to author's Blogs and reading about them and their pets, and their hobbies, and even their books. I am much more comfortable spending my money on a book after I know a something about the author. I also know that I am not alone in that.

I hope that readers understand that as authors, we are trained to promote and sell. It is how many of us make our living. I hear many authors complain that they don't want to overburden the reader with too many choices. Life is about choices. Many authors will never sell enough books to make it onto the major best seller lists, at least not in bookstores, and bookstores is the only way to get on a best seller list. So, if the reader doesn't know about new authors, or relatively unknown authors, how will those authors ever become household names?

Blogs are a great tool for book promotion and I hope that as time goes by, more authors will find ways to use their Blogs productively instead of just shoving book promo in the readers face.

As for you readers, most authors are quite charming, if not downright funny—hey. I'm funny, you know I am—so why not spend some time checking out some of the hundreds and thousands of author Blogs out there and seeing what those folks have to offer? Some authors actually go out of their way to make it worth your while.

RuthI recently came accross your blog and have been reading along. I thought I would leave my first comment. I dont know what to say except that I have enjoyed reading. Nice blog. I will keep visiting this blog very often.

I blog about my personal life mostly. It's not that I was told to do so, I simply feel the need to share.Things that shake me up, or interest me is what I blog about. I'm actually annoyed reading varies author blogs and their book promo while the blog gives me nothing about their actual work.Enough preaching now.In "Torn from Normal" I reflected on my very own feelings and emotions as a teenager, as well as a parent of a teenage boy.In my blog I don't preach "buy my book," I'd rather knock on your door and ask you to buy a copy. Wouldn't that be nice though?

Nice post. I like the perspective of both author and reader (and cool hats!). It's a fine line to walk, but authors do want to sell books and yet don't want to be too in your face about it.

I find it almost disconcerting when an author doesn't have a online presence. I do expect at least a little bit of the personal.

I think blogging is taking the place of the indie bookstore's hand-selling customer by customer. The more connection I have to an author as a real person, the more likely I am to read his or her book and to then blog about it as a reviewer/reader.

Love the hats! I blog about, well, everything. ha! Miniatures of course since Searching For A Starry Night involves miniatures and a miniature painting. I enjoy collectng and like to share it with others, besides the books, of course.

I don't get out much. We don't have many social friends, and our closest friends live in Texas, which is quite a haul from MD. But for the holiday weekend, we got a special treat. I actually took a day off from publishing and we took our friends and their six-year-old son to DC for sightseeing. Now, this is one of our favorite places, so it was no chore for us.

As we trudged a long in the rain, yes it rained right up until about 3:00 pm, by which time we were all exhausted, we let the kid decide where we would go. We started at the Native American Museum and then made out way to the Museum of Air and Space.

Now, I will admit that this is not my favorite museum, but I got a special treat for my patience and willingness to go where everyone else was going so I would not be left behind. Go figure. When we were getting ready to leave, we happened to see a table where a small group of men sat signing books. Being the fiend that I am, I went over to check it out.

It was such an honor to be in the company of author, two heroes, Curtis Christopher Robinson (A Pilot's Journey) as well as well as Charles Herbert Flowers Jr. (Training the Best) as they signed copies of their memoirs. Just knowing that these two men played such a significant role in history was awe-inspiring for me.

As a publisher, I get so many requests to publish memoirs, but I have a hard time with memoirs, because some peoples lives are interesting, but not necessarily of great interest to others. These two men, are the other side of the coin.

I know that makes me sound like a "memoir snob" but that is just my take. If you want to know a bit more about these two men and their memoirs, you can visit Robnor Publishing. They have done an excellent job a bit more of history to the readers of the world. And they put a thrill in my day getting to be in the presence of two such great men.

They were the best, courageous heroes all. The Tuskegee Airmen saved my uncle’s life many times. Uncle George flew B-17 bomber missions over Europe during WW II and was relieved and thankful when he saw fliers from the 332nd Fighter Group off his wing tip. My family and our nation owe these heroes our utmost gratitude.

Hi there, meet Alyssa Montgomery. Alyssa is an author. She is also sixteen, or maybe she is seventeen now. Alyssa writes young adult stories for Quake!

Okay, at Echelon Press we have a little thing called Quake. It's our imprint for kids and young adults. We love it. Internally, we have a group called Team Quake. It's all the authors who write for Quake. It's where we get together and brainstorm and network and come up with brilliant ideas to get YOUR kids reading and enjoying it. It's also where we come up with ideas on what to post at Teen Seen, our Blog.

We try not to preach, we try not to lecture, we try to have fun (some more than others: meet Norm Cowie and Sam Morton)

Problem is, we don't do much but talk to you, the parents. Now, don't get me wrong, we love parents, they make the rules and decide what the kids can and cannot do. We want you involved, too. We need you to be involved, heck, your kids need you to be involved. But more than anything, we want to talk to you kids and have them talk to us! We need to know what they think and like and want in order for us to publish the books they will want to read. See what I mean?

So what the heck is this Blog post about? It's an invitation. We want you to join us at Teen Seen and we want you to bring your kids (ages 10 and up) We know some of you might have grown kids who would be interested, so bring them too. Please let your kids post and talk to us, it's what will make Quake the huge success it deserves to be.

What have we got to offer? We have fun, we do talk about important stuff, but we try to keep it interesting. Reading is so important to the kids and we don't want them to read just the stuff they HAVE to, we want them to actually enjoy reading. That's why we make our books as cool as possible.

Once you get to Teen Seen have your kids join our Birthday Book Bash. Click on the link to contact Quake and send the following info:

Child's name (first name only!)Full birthday with year (must have been born after 1989)e-mail address (this is used only for the BBB and nothing else-cross my heart)

On their birthday we will send your kid a FREE PDF eBook of their choice.

I did not have the luxury of reading Scottoline's books in series order, so keep this in mind when reading my review. Let me start by saying that this is, in my opinion, the best of the series.

I found myself sucked in right way to the drama of the Italian community. I love books that have a little cultural flavor and as is the case with Scottoline's books, the characters make the story.

When Pigeon Tony is arrested for murder it looks like an open and shut case. But Pigeon Tony is adamant that he did not murder his lifelong enemy. It isn't what it seems and he is determined to tell the truth even if it kills him, his grandson, and his lawyer, Judy Carrier.

Judy works for Rosato & Associates and her boss, Bennie, is no push-over, so it takes some work for Judy to convince Bennie that she is thinking with her brain and not with her heart when she fights to keep the case she took without permission.

The friction between Lucia and Coluzzi families goes back years and holds the pain of more than one tragedy. Is Judy Carrier a good enough attorney to let Pigeon Tony tell his story to the judge and jury and him from facing the death penalty?

This is one of Scottoline's most emotional books and while it goes back in the series, I believe it is her best writing. I love all her books, but this is in the #1 spot for great Scottoline reads.

I recommend this book in audio! Audible.comBarbara Rosenblat is top of the line in narration, hands down!

I did not have the luxury of reading Scottoline's books in series order, so keep this in mind when reading my review. Let me start by saying that this is, in my opinion, the best of the series.

I found myself sucked in right way to the drama of the Italian community. I love books that have a little cultural flavor and as is the case with Scottoline's books, the characters make the story.

When Pigeon Tony is arrested for murder it looks like an open and shut case. But Pigeon Tony is adamant that he did not murder his lifelong enemy. It isn't what it seems and he is determined to tell the truth even if it kills him, his grandson, and his lawyer, Judy Carrier.

Judy works for Rosato & Associates and her boss, Bennie, is no push-over, so it takes some work for Judy to convince Bennie that she is thinking with her brain and not with her heart when she fights to keep the case she took without permission.

The friction between Lucia and Coluzzi families goes back years and holds the pain of more than one tragedy. Is Judy Carrier a good enough attorney to let Pigeon Tony tell his story to the judge and jury and him from facing the death penalty?

This is one of Scottoline's most emotional books and while it goes back in the series, I believe it is her best writing. I love all her books, but this is in the #1 spot for great Scottoline reads.

I recommend this book in audio! Audible.comBarbara Rosenblat is top of the line in narration, hands down!

Hi there, meet Alyssa Montgomery. Alyssa is an author. She is also sixteen, or maybe she is seventeen now. Alyssa writes young adult stories for Quake!

Okay, at Echelon Press we have a little thing called Quake. It's our imprint for kids and young adults. We love it. Internally, we have a group called Team Quake. It's all the authors who write for Quake. It's where we get together and brainstorm and network and come up with brilliant ideas to get YOUR kids reading and enjoying it. It's also where we come up with ideas on what to post at Teen Seen, our Blog.

We try not to preach, we try not to lecture, we try to have fun (some more than others: meet Norm Cowie and Sam Morton)

Problem is, we don't do much but talk to you, the parents. Now, don't get me wrong, we love parents, they make the rules and decide what the kids can and cannot do. We want you involved, too. We need you to be involved, heck, your kids need you to be involved. But more than anything, we want to talk to you kids and have them talk to us! We need to know what they think and like and want in order for us to publish the books they will want to read. See what I mean?

So what the heck is this Blog post about? It's an invitation. We want you to join us at Teen Seen and we want you to bring your kids (ages 10 and up) We know some of you might have grown kids who would be interested, so bring them too. Please let your kids post and talk to us, it's what will make Quake the huge success it deserves to be.

What have we got to offer? We have fun, we do talk about important stuff, but we try to keep it interesting. Reading is so important to the kids and we don't want them to read just the stuff they HAVE to, we want them to actually enjoy reading. That's why we make our books as cool as possible.

Once you get to Teen Seen have your kids join our Birthday Book Bash. Click on the link to contact Quake and send the following info:

Child's name (first name only!)Full birthday with year (must have been born after 1989)e-mail address (this is used only for the BBB and nothing else-cross my heart)

On their birthday we will send your kid a FREE PDF eBook of their choice.

I don't get out much. We don't have many social friends, and our closest friends live in Texas, which is quite a haul from MD. But for the holiday weekend, we got a special treat. I actually took a day off from publishing and we took our friends and their six-year-old son to DC for sightseeing. Now, this is one of our favorite places, so it was no chore for us.

As we trudged a long in the rain, yes it rained right up until about 3:00 pm, by which time we were all exhausted, we let the kid decide where we would go. We started at the Native American Museum and then made out way to the Museum of Air and Space.

Now, I will admit that this is not my favorite museum, but I got a special treat for my patience and willingness to go where everyone else was going so I would not be left behind. Go figure. When we were getting ready to leave, we happened to see a table where a small group of men sat signing books. Being the fiend that I am, I went over to check it out.

It was such an honor to be in the company of author, two heroes, Curtis Christopher Robinson (A Pilot's Journey) as well as well as Charles Herbert Flowers Jr. (Training the Best) as they signed copies of their memoirs. Just knowing that these two men played such a significant role in history was awe-inspiring for me.

As a publisher, I get so many requests to publish memoirs, but I have a hard time with memoirs, because some peoples lives are interesting, but not necessarily of great interest to others. These two men, are the other side of the coin.

I know that makes me sound like a "memoir snob" but that is just my take. If you want to know a bit more about these two men and their memoirs, you can visit Robnor Publishing. They have done an excellent job a bit more of history to the readers of the world. And they put a thrill in my day getting to be in the presence of two such great men.